The World Health Organization said Monday that eating processed meat such as
sausages and ham causes cancer,while unprocessed red meat may
also be carcinogenic.
The WHO's cancer research unit now classifies processed meat as
"carcinogenic to humans" based on evidence from hundreds of studies,
and linked it specifically to colon, or colorectal, cancer. The report outlined that simply eating 50 grams of processed meat each day-- the equivalent of two slices of ham --can
increase the risk of such cancer by 18%. However, the authors say the risks are
relatively small to begin with. The organization defines processed meat as any type of meat that is salted,
cured or smoked to enhance its flavor or preserve it. Processed meat generally
contains pork or beef, but may also contain poultry. The WHO now classifies processed meat in the same category as smoking and
asbestos, based on its certainty of a link with cancer, but stressed that did
not mean they were equally dangerous. Unprocessed red meat such as steak and lamb shanks is classified as
"probably carcinogenic."

According to estimates cited by the WHO, about 34,000
cancer deaths per year worldwide can be attributed to diets that are high in
processed meat. That's a small fraction of the 8.2 million deaths caused by
cancer in 2012, according to the latest WHO data.

Cattle and climate?

They're not often used in the same sentence.

But eating beef, as I'll explain, has come to be
seen, rightly, in certain enviro circles, as the new SUV -- a hopelessly
selfish, American indulgence; a middle finger to the planet. It's not the main
driver of global warming -- that's burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat
and transportation -- but it does contribute significantly.

The world is faced with the herculean task of trying
to limit warming to 2 degrees Celsius, measured as an increase of global
temperature since the start of the Industrial Revolution, when humans began
burning fossil fuels. That's the point at which climate change is expected to
get especially dangerous, leading to megadroughts, mass extinctions and a
sea-level rise that could
wipe low-lying countries off the map. That one little number -- 2 degrees
-- is the subject of international negotiations in December in Paris, which
are critical if we're to avert catastrophe.

It will be hard to meet the 2-degree goal no
matter what; it will be impossible if livestock pollution isn't part of the
mix, said Doug Boucher, a PhD ecologist and evolutionary biologist who is
director of climate research and analysis at the Union of Concerned Scientists.

10 Reasons to Stop Eating Red Meat

1. Eating meat hardens blood vessels

A compound found in red meat (and even used as an additive
in some energy drinks) called carnitine has been found to cause
atherosclerosis, the hardening or clogging of the arteries, according to a study published in the journal Nature
Medicine. The research, which included more than 2,500 vegans,
vegetarians, and omnivore cardiac patients, suggests that carnitine converts to
a heart-damaging compound, trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), via bacteria in the
intestine. Researchers found that increased carnitine levels predicted
increased risks for cardiovascular disease.

2. Your vegetarian friends might outlive you

A study from Harvard School of Public Health found an
association with red meat consumption and increased risk of a shortened
lifespan. Eating healthier protein sources such as fish, poultry, nuts, and
legumes was associated with a lower risk of mortality. “We know processed red
meat like hot dogs and salami are the worst,” says Larry Santora, MD, medical
director of the Dick Butkus Center for Cardiovascular Wellness, Saint Joseph
Hospital, Orange, California. The cause is not clear, but it may be in the
preparation, since charring meat increases toxins (nitrosamines) that can lead
to cancer of the stomach, says Dr. Santora.

3. You’re eating pink slime

The meat industry refers to it as
“lean finely textured beef (LFTB),” but the public knows it as pink slime. This meat additive contains fatty bits of
leftover meat that’s heated, spun to remove the fat, and then treated with
ammonia gas to kill bacteria. It’s then shipped off to grocery stores and meat
packers, where the slime is added to ground beef (70% of supermarket ground
beef contains the additive).

And the ammonia treatment may allow
pathogens into the food supply. “The real danger comes from the preparation and
the likelihood that the bacteria will spread in your kitchen,” says Michael
Schmidt, PhD, professor at the department of microbiology and immunology at the
Medical University of South Carolina. (Pink slime's not the only gross thing in
your food—check out these 6 others that'll turn your stomach.)

4. That expensive filet may be “glued” together scraps

Binding together smaller cuts of
meat into a larger serving can be done with a “meat glue” called transglutaminase, an enzyme formerly
harvested from animal blood, but now produced through fermentation of bacteria.
When added to meat, it forms an invisible bond, making a round filet mignon
shape out of smaller pieces. Although it’s on the USDA’s GRAS (Generally
Recognized as Safe) list, the more pieces of stuck-together meat you're eating,
the higher the risk of contamination. “The question to ask is how many cows are
in the ‘glue’ you’re eating,” says Dr. Schmidt. The more cows, the greater the
risk. (Vegetarians, you’re not quite off the hook here: transglutaminase can be
used in some meatless products like tofu, yogurt, and cereal, so buy products
as close to their natural states as possible.)

5. Livestock production impacts the planet in a huge
way

If you drive a fuel-efficient car
and use reusable cloth grocery bags to shop, you can further help the planet by
cutting out meat as well. Meat impacts the environment more than any other food
we eat, mainly because livestock require much more land, food, water, and energy
than plants to raise and transport. Producing a four-ounce (quarter pound)
hamburger, for example, requires 7 pounds of grain and forage, 53 gallons of
drinking water and irrigating feed crops, 75 square feet for grazing and
growing feed crops, and 1,036 BTUs for feed production and transport—enough to
power a microwave for 18 minutes.

6. You can get sick from E. coli

Foods most likely to sicken you with
E. coli include unpasteurized (raw) milk and unpasteurized apple cider,
according to the CDC, but cattle also present a major threat. Similar to the
way the “meat glue” risk works, the risk of E. coli depends largely on
the number of cows making up your ground beef. “Your burger may contain meat
from fewer than 10 cows or more than 1,000. The only way to know is ask the
butcher—most states have laws in place against fudging these facts that will
not let them lie,” says Dr. Schmidt. The greater the number of cows
in the hamburger, the greater the chance of contracting something that wasn't
intended to be in the meat, he says. E. coli can cause dehydration,
abdominal cramps, and kidney failure.

7. The animal cruelty factor is sickening

It’s
sometimes easy to forget that the steak on your plate was part of a living
creature. But the path from livestock to entrée can be fraught with
unbelievable animal cruelty, says Paul Shapiro, vice president of farm
animal protection at the Humane Society of the United States. “From locking
animals in tiny cages, to slicing parts of their bodies off without any pain
relief, to genetically selecting them to grow so obese and so fast that many
become lame, it’s by far the biggest cause of animal suffering in the
world.” (Learn more with The 8 Cruelest Foods You Eat.) Vegetarian protein
sources provide nutrition without any such torture.

8. Eating meat ups your risk of type 2 diabetes

According to a report published
by JAMA Internal Medicine, eating red or processed meat can, over
time, increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. “Specifically, 3.5
ounces of red meat or 1.8 ounces of processed meat (e.g. a hot dog or 2 slices
of bacon) daily led to a 19% and 51% increase in diabetes risk, respectively,”
says Dan Nadeau, MD, endocrinologist at Mary and Dick Allen Diabetes Center at
Hoag Hospital in Irvine, California. “Diets rich in animal products contribute
to the increased risk incidence of obesity as well as type 2 diabetes in the
U.S.”

9. Meat puts your colon and brain at risk

Meat contains a whole lot of iron
which, when eaten in excess, can raise levels of iron in the brain and may
increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a recent
study from UCLA. When iron accumulates in the brain, myelin—a fatty tissue that
coats nerve fibers—is destroyed. This disrupts brain communication, and signs
of Alzheimer’s appear.

Eating red and processed meats also
greatly increases the risk of colorectal cancer in people with a genetic
predisposition. Affecting one in three individuals, the gene plays a role in
the immune system, according to researchers. If you have this gene, eating and
digesting meat may trigger an immune or inflammatory response.

10. Meat is chock full of harmful hormones

Hormones added to red meat boost
breast cancer risk, according to a large study of more than 90,000 women published
in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Women who ate more than 1.5
servings (approximately 6 ounces) of red meat per day had nearly double the
risk of developing hormone-sensitive breast cancer than women who ate 3 or
fewer servings per week. Researchers believe the hormones or hormone-like
compounds in red meat increase cancer risk by attaching to specific hormone
receptors on the tumors.

Sources: cnn.com

prevention.com

October 2015

Processed Meats Raise Cancer Risk

Processed meats like bacon and sausages really do contribute to cancer
risk, BBC reports. After reviewing the evidence linking cancer to red
and processed meats, the World Health Organization (WHO) today announced
it will classify processed meats as carcinogenic, and unprocessed red
meat as “probably carcinogenic.” But the risk is slight compared with
that of other cancer-causing products such as cigarettes. Fifty grams of
processed meat a day—about two slices of bacon—increase a person’s chance of developing colorectal cancer by 18%, according to the report on which WHO based its decision.

There’s now a large body of evidence that bowel cancer is more common among people who eat the most red and processed meat. As this evidence has steadily built up, Cancer Research UK have blogged about it several times – and it’s covered on the NHS Choices website and by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF).There’s also growing evidence for a possible link to both stomach
and pancreatic cancers, but this seems to be less clear cut than the
link to bowel cancer.

How does red and processed meat cause cancer?

Researchers are still trying to pin down exactly how red and
processed meat cause cells to become cancerous, but the main culprits
seem to be certain chemicals found in the meat itself.

In red meat, the problems seem to start when a chemical called haem – part of the red pigment in the blood, haemoglobin
– is broken down in our gut to from a family of chemicals called
N-nitroso compounds. These have been found to damage the cells that line
the bowel, so other cells in the bowel lining have to replicate more in
order to heal. And it’s this ‘extra’ replication that can increase the
chance of errors developing in the cells’ DNA – the first step on the
road to cancer.

On top of this, processed red meats contain chemicals that generate
N-nitroso compounds in the gut, such as nitrite preservatives.Cooking meat at high temperatures, such as grilling or barbequing,
can also creates chemicals in the meat that may increase the risk of
cancer. These chemicals are generally produced in higher levels in red
and processed meat compared to other meats.But there are other theories too – some research has suggested that the iron in red meat could play a role, while others suggest the bacteria in the gut might play a supporting role too.

So despite what you may hear, it isn’t about the quality of the meat,
or whether it’s from the local butcher or your supermarket. The
evidence so far suggests that it’s probably the processing of the meat,
or chemicals naturally present within it, that increases cancer risk.

Sources: news.sciencemag.org independent.co.uk

September 2015

USA - CHINA deal to Ban Ivory Trade

WASHINGTON (Sept. 25, 2015) — In a historic accord to
save Africa’s elephants from out-of-control poaching, President Barack Obama
and President Xi Jinping agreed Friday to end commercial ivory sales in the
United States and China.

The announcement marks the first public commitment by President Xi to end
ivory sales in China, the world’s largest market, and follows a pledge made by
Chinese officials in May to phase out the domestic trade. It also puts heavy
pressure on Hong Kong, a global hub for commercial ivory, to ban its legal
trade — one that has provided cover for smuggling and illicit sales of ivory
from African elephants poached in recent years. A recent
survey found that over 90% of ivory sold in Hong Kong was being smuggled
into mainland China.

A White House fact
sheet released Friday confirms the agreement, full text below:

Wildlife Trafficking: The United States and China, recognizing the
importance and urgency of combating wildlife trafficking, commit to take
positive measures to address this global challenge. The United States and China
commit to enact nearly complete bans on ivory import and export, including
significant and timely restrictions on the import of ivory as hunting trophies,
and to take significant and timely steps to halt the domestic commercial trade
of ivory. The two sides decided to further cooperate in joint training,
technical exchanges, information sharing, and public education on combating
wildlife trafficking, and enhance international law enforcement cooperation in
this field. The United States and China decided to cooperate with other nations
in a comprehensive effort to combat wildlife trafficking.

“Today’s announcement is the greatest single step that could be taken to
reduce poaching for elephants. Legal ivory trade has always been used as a
cover to launder poached ivory, and when it was authorized by the previous
administration in China in 2009, poaching escalated dramatically in Africa,”
said WildAid CEO Peter Knights. “The Chinese government has supported our ivory
demand reduction campaign, led by Yao Ming and Li Bingbing, and has provided
support for conservation efforts in Tanzania and other African countries. We
thank both Presidents for their personal support for elephant conservation and
call upon Hong Kong to join China and the US in consigning the ivory trade to
the trash can of history.”

The international commercial ivory trade was banned in 1989, following a
decade of out-of-control poaching that decimated African elephant populations,
from 1.3 million in 1979 to an estimated 609,000 by the late 1980s. As a result
of the ban, poaching decreased significantly and ivory prices plummeted. But
"one-off" sales of ivory in the late 2000s and the ongoing legal
domestic trade in places such as Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Vietnam and the US
have allowed for the laundering of illegal ivory shipments from recently
poached elephants.

A March 2015
survey by WildAid, African Wildlife Foundation and Save The Elephants in
Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou found that 95% of respondents said that the
government should impose an ivory sales ban, and that awareness of ivory
poaching had increased by 50% since 2012.

This follows a 50-70% reduction in consumption of shark fin following
WildAid’s campaign and President Xi’s ban on shark fin at state banquets. The
campaigns received hundreds of millions of dollars of media space donated by
Chinese state and private media. WildAid’s ivory campaign was supported by
African Wildlife Foundation and Save the Elephants, and featured Chinese
celebrities such as Yao Ming, actress Li Bingbing and piano
virtuoso Lang Lang, as well as Prince William, David Beckham, Lupita Nyong’o
and the cast of AMC’s The Walking Dead.

Source: Wildaid.org
National Geographic.com

September 2015Important News this Year you might have missed

The good news for all of us is that cruelty towards animals it's increasingly past. Because we sign the petitions and are active in these matters there are hundreds of victorious news for animals every month. Here some i collected for you:

University Of Queensland Ends Terminal Experiments
on Animals. The University of Queensland has confirmed that they have
ceased using dogs from local pounds for terminal procedures at their facility. Read more here.

Victory in Mexico!

Mexico bans animals in circuses!

Elephants, tigers, and other wild animals including mammals will
no longer be chained, caged, and beaten into performing tricks in circuses anywhere
in Mexico.

A woman who spent her life caring for stray dogs received an unexpected -- and surprising -- tribute from the animals when she died.

At the funeral for Margarita Suárez in Cuernavaca Morelos, Mexico, there was a pack of stray dogs who came inside the funeral home to stand guard.

Suárez's daughter Patricia Urrutia told ABC News that they were shocked, but delighted by the appearance of the canine celebrants.

Adding to the other-worldliness of the situation was the fact that these stray dogs were not even the same ones that her 71-year-old mother had helped during her lifetime. Suárez lived in Merida Yucatan, but her funeral service was in a town more than 830 miles away, her daughter said.

"They stayed with my mother all day, and then at night they all stayed- but In the morning all the dogs vanished but one, but one hour before we brought my mom to be cremated the dogs came back and grouped around as if to say goodbye," Urrutia told ABC News. "I swear by God that it was beautiful, marvelous."

She said that the dogs do not normally hang around the funeral home, and that workers there had never seen anything like it before.

"My mom has always been good with all animals and people," Urrutia said. "Always fed the dogs on her block and the 20 stray cats that lived there."

Urrutia said that the dogs' presence helped her through the difficult day, and it was an unexpected message that she will always remember.

"When I was in a moment of so much pain these dogs that came, they showed me that everything was going to be okay," Urrutia told ABC.

The dogs were not the only animal friends to pay their respects to Suárez, as Urrutia also spotted a bird come through the window at 3:00 a.m., glance down at her mother's coffin, and then fly off while singing.

"Because of them we were happy," Urrutia added. "They made a sad situation an incredible one."

Hope somebody continues to take good care of these animals.

Source: abcnews.go.com

October 2014

India Bans Import of Animal-Tested Cosmetics

India becomes the first cruelty-free cosmetics zone in South Asia

After intensive efforts, Union Minister Maneka Gandhi and others, the Indian Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has made an announcement that will save millions of animals from being blinded, poisoned and killed in cruel and useless tests for products sold to India’s billion-plus population. In a move that will bring cheers from around the world, the Ministry has now officially banned animal-tested cosmetics from being imported into India via a notification in The Gazette of India. The decision will be implemented in November.

The new rule states, “135-B. Import of cosmetics tested on animals prohibited.—No cosmetic that has been tested on animals after the commencement of the Drugs and Cosmetics (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2014 shall be imported into the country”. The move brings India up to speed with Israel and the European Union nations, which have already banned the sale and marketing of animal-tested cosmetics. Earlier this year, the testing of cosmetics on animals was banned in India following efforts by PETA and others.

“This is a message to the whole world that India will not tolerate blinding bunnies for shampoo, mascara and other ‘beauty’ products – and this ruling now gives an upper hand to businesses that use superior, human-relevant, non-animal testing methods”, says PETA Science Policy Adviser Dr Chaitanya Koduri. “We applaud the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare for looking out for animals’ interests and for championing modern science.”

Cruelty Free International welcomes news that the UK
Government plans to introduce a ban on animal testing of household products
before the election in May 2015.

We have campaigned extensively for a ban over the years,
handing in thousands of petition signatures to 10 Downing Street this May.

The Government promised to ban animal tests for household
products when it came to power in 2010.

Cruelty Free International CEO Michelle Thew says,“Although
originally a Coalition commitment, successive ministers have stalled over
implementation. We have persisted with constructive proposals and are very
pleased that Norman Baker sees a way forward before the election. We look
forward to assessing the details as soon as they become available.”

Please take action for animals suffering in tests for
household products by taking the Clean Up Cruelty pledge to only use Leaping
Bunny certified cleaning products:

"We have made a commitment to ban the testing of
household products on animals.

Although superficially straightforward, the details are not been easy to
resolve. Any solution has to be legally viable since we cannot ban
testing
which may be required under UK or EU law.
The key issue is around ingredients. I am looking to develop a solution that
is
workable, but does not have a chain of unforeseen circumstances. It is my
intention to implement a ban before the next general election in May
2015."

July 2014It’s Official!

China Ends Mandatory Animal Testing for Cosmetics

Animal advocates are celebrating another victory for animals in labs following the announcement that as of this week, China will no longer require animal testing for some types of cosmetics products manufactured in the country.

As of Monday, the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) stopped requiring tests for ordinary cosmetics, including make-up, skin, hair and nail care products and fragrances that are produced in the country and will instead allow manufacturers to choose available alternatives to conduct risk assessments.

“This is an important first step for China in moving away from cruel and unreliable animal testing for cosmetics. Our Be Cruelty-Free campaign has worked hard to achieve this milestone, but we know much work remains before we eliminate all cosmetics animal testing in China, so we are not resting on our laurels. In making this rule change, China is acknowledging the global trend towards cruelty-free cosmetics, and that’s hugely significant,” Peter Li, PhD, Humane Society International’s China policy adviser, said in a statement.

HSI estimates that as many as 300,000 rabbits, guinea-pigs, mice and other animals are used to test cosmetics in the country annually and that if every eligible company that can chooses to take advantage of this change in policy an estimated 10,000 animals could be spared from cruel and unnecessary tests every year.

China’s mandatory testing requirement hasn't just caused unnecessary suffering for animals, but has shut companies that refuse to test on animals out of the market. It has also caused problems for companies that claim they don’t test on animals, but still sell in China, including Avon, Mary Kay and Estée Lauder, which has also led to confusion and anger for consumers who want to buy cruelty-free products and were led to believe they were.

While the new rule doesn't apply to imported cosmetics or other types of personal care items, such as hair dye, deodorant and sun screen, animal advocates are hoping that this change represents a growing shift away from using animals and that it will be the first of more victories to come on the road to a cruelty-free world.

This weekend, HSI and more than 20 Chinese animal advocacy organizations welcomed the news in a letter to the CFDA and are now urging the agency to go further to stop animal testing in China.

While we celebrate China’s regulatory change, we also hope very much that China will go further and next apply the removal of mandatory animal testing to foreign-imported cosmetics too, as well as replace post-market animal testing with in vitro-based safety tests. In doing so, China would establish itself as a major cruelty-free cosmetics producer and market, with cruelty-free brands from around the world bringing their beauty products to Chinese consumers, and Chinese cruelty-free products expanding to international markets. It would also see China well placed to take a leading role in the manufacture and development of high-tech non-animal research tools.

Meanwhile, animal advocates are continuing to push for more countries to ban the practice. While the European Union and a few other countries, including Israel and India, have bans in place many others still allow it, including the U.S.

Now there’s hope that the U.S. could join others that have stopped the practice. In March, the Humane Cosmetics Act was introduced, which if passed would make it illegal to conduct or commission animal testing for cosmetics after a phase in period. With the availability of data on thousands of ingredients we already know are safe and the growing demand for cruelty-free products there’s no reason not to stop the practice here.

Please help the U.S. catch up to other countries that already have, or are working towards, banning animal testing cosmetics by signing and sharing the petition urging your rep to support and co-sponsor this historic piece of legislation.

Source: http://www.care2.com/

17 of March of 2014* Two amazing and emotive Stories you wouldn't want to miss...*

Shirley and Jenny: Two Elephants Reunited After More Than 20 Years

After two decades, two former circus elephants, Jenny and Shirley, are reunited at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. The reunion is a bittersweet moment for everyone involved. Watch to see the emotional encounter and response of the two friends.

Heroic dog sacrifices himself to save his family - his human's moving eulogy touched our hearts

Hannah has lived in Alaska for 25 years and has hundreds of miles of wilderness behind her back door. She lives with her dogs along the US/Canadian border in southeast Alaska and a few days ago she lost her beloved dog, Steve Mason. She shares her remarkable story of how Steve Mason saved her life and the lives of his three younger canine brothers in an act of heroism before leaving this world.

A Eulogy for Steve Mason

Steven Mason, March ??, 1998 - March 5, 2014

"This is Steve Mason, the most incredible dog I have ever met and my best friend of the past 16 years. And this is the story of how he died saving my life one last time.""Steve Mason, "Mason" to his friends was a Husky, Lab, Rottweiler mutt with insanely fluffy ears and markings on his face that made it look like he was always wearing Harry Potter specs. I picked him out of a litter of puppies because while all the others yipped and squealed and played, he was the only one to stop and snuffle the flowers.""He and I went on enough adventures to shame the Fellowship, and hit the top of more mountains than I can honestly remember. He always had this way of perking up his ears that could spur me to keep going, either to the top of a ridge line or out of what ever ridiculous angst I found myself muddled in.""He was obsessed with shortening sticks and tearing up any cardboard he could find. He was extremely meticulous and many a vacuum clear died trying to tidy up his messes.""He was a rock for my brother during his rough years. Mason could always be there for him, even when I couldn't. And every time he saw my brother, even if five years had gone by, he'd still try and jump in his arms like a puppy.""Everyone who met him came away saying that he was a remarkable dog, and many could honestly say he was the nicest person they'd ever met.""Over the past two years he began to show his age. His hearing and much of his eyesight abandoned him, along with his sense of balance.""I kept expecting him to die in his sleep or collapse on a hike.""My worst fear was that he would grow so old and infirm that we'd have to put him down. I honestly didn't think I'd be able to go through what I've had to do for so many other dogs with him. He was far too special. He just seemed so old.""But he just kept on going, refusing to take it easy. He moved slower, and couldn't go as far, but he never seemed to mind.""This winter I'd been sure to get as many adventures in with him as possible, knowing our days together might be numbered. On March 5th, he and I, along with my family's three younger dogs took off for what was meant to be a quick hike around our property before I had to go to work.""We were about a mile from home on our snowshoe trail when I noticed a figure following us about a quarter mile back. I recognized it as a wolf right away. I hadn't seen a wolf in my valley for about fifteen years, but wolves are shy and usually hide from humans, especially one with four dogs. Trying to be respectful, I turned us towards home, thinking we'd give the wolf room to escape and think no more about it."

A few minutes later the littlest dog gave a bark and I turned to see the wolf standing five feet behind us. She was huge, her shoulder nearly coming up to my hip. She looked scared but determined, and most of all she looked hungry. We were in trouble. She attacked and we spent the next twenty minutes trying to fight her off. I was hitting her with my ski poles while the dogs nipped and tried to avoid her teeth. She was weak but a good fighter.""Mason and I ended up fighting side-by-side. The wolf kept staring me in the eyes, but it was clear she was after the dogs. She finally pinned the smallest dog and Mason lunged at her. Suddenly my frail old man looked huge, bigger than I'd ever seen him before. He knocked her off the puppy, but she got Mason by the throat. It was over in a split second. I have never screamed so loud. Every fiber in my being was telling me to kill her, stab her in the eye, tear her throat out if I could. But that would have only gotten me killed too, and there were three other dogs I had to get out of there. It was too late anyway. He was dead and she was eating him."

"This is the wolf. This picture was taken the morning after by some guards and the nearby border station when she wandered past. Though all I wanted to do in the moment was kill her, she really is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. And now that it's done, I hold no hate for her. She was starving to death and did what she had to to survive. I think she went into the fight knowing she might be the one to get killed, and it was simply the luck of the draw that she got him first. I only hope she leaves this valley safely."

"Goodbye, Partner."

"I miss Mason like there is a hole in my chest. Though I know there was nothing else I could have done, I can't escape the thought that I failed to save him. But most dogs at sixteen die bye the fireside, slowly and painfully of old age. Mason went out of this world like a thunderbolt, saving my life and the lives of the three younger dogs. He was my puppy, my "grizzly", my brother, my friend, and he died as he lived: My hero. I love you, buddy. Goodbye."

Hannah has commented since and said she's hiked in the mountains for 25 years and never come close to an encounter until the fateful day she was out with her dogs on her property.

She emphasizes how incredibly rare it is for people to see a wolf. "Large predator encounters hardly ever happen here, and should they occur, the predator runs the other way. What happened is so incredibly rare that people will live here for seventy years and never even see a wolf."

Source: http://www.dogheirs.com/4 of February of 2014

India moves to ban Animal Testing for all household products!

It’s been a banner year for Animals in India! First, after lengthy discussions with PETA
India’s scientists, thenation banned tests on animals for cosmetics and their ingredients. And now, decision makers in India have officially proposed a ban on testing household
products and their ingredients on animals, too!

PETA India Science Policy Adviser Dr. Chaitanya Koduri is a
member of the Bureau of Indian Standards committee on household products. With
his guidance, the committee recently proposed an amendment to testing
regulations that would ban the last cruel test on
animals still required and replace it with a superior
non-animal testing method. This means that the days of smearing chemicals on guinea
pigs are nearly over. The test will be replaced with the more sophisticated—and
humane—Human Repeat Insult Patch Test. The committee also proposed that
household product manufacturers submit safety data based on non-animal
test methods for new ingredients.

Elephants Tribute

The Elephants Knew

"Lawrence Anthony, a legend in South Africa and
author of 3 books including the bestseller, The Elephant Whisperer.He bravely rescued wildlife and rehabilitated
elephants all over the globe from human atrocities, including the
courageousrescue of Baghdad Zoo animals during US invasion in 2003.On March 7, 2012 Lawrence Anthony died. He is
remembered and missed by his wife, 2 sons, 2 grandsons, and numerous elephants. Two days after his passing, the wild elephants showed up at his home led by two
large matriarchs. Separate wild herds arrived in droves to say goodbye to their
beloved 'man-friend'. A total of 31 elephants had patiently walked over 12
miles to get to his South African House.Witnessing this spectacle, humans were obviously in
awe not only because of the supreme intelligence and precise timing that these
elephants sensed about Lawrence's passing, but also because of the profound
memory and emotion the beloved animals evoked in such an organized way: Walking
slowly, for days, making their way in a solemn one-by-one queue from their
habitat to his house. Lawrence 's wife, Francoise, was especially touched,
knowing that the elephants had not been to his house prior to that day for well
over 3 years! But yet they knew where they were going. The elephants obviously
wanted to pay their deep respects, honoring their friend who'd saved their
lives - so much respect that they stayed for 2 days 2 nights without eating
anything. Then one morning, they left, making their long journey back home.SOMETHING IN THE UNIVERSE IS GREATERAND DEEPER THAN HUMAN INTELLIGENCE.IN GOD WE TRUST"Source: Humanity's Team

Footage obtained by Animal Equality investigators has been used by Chinese animal advocates from the organisation Volunteer Centre of Guanzhou to report the illegal trade to the authorities. Non of the stalls had official or legal certificates for the dogs and cats, as most of the animals are pulled away from their homes and families to then be sold and slaughtered for their meat. During the raid, police have seized more than 600 dogs and cats.

The breeding, trade and killing of dogs and cats for food is not explicitly prohibited in China yet. The sentence which closed these establishments was based primarily on a health and food security issue, as the stall and slaughterhouse owners did not have valid vaccine certificates for each animal.Until the Chinese government prohibits the dog and cat meat trade in the country, we are still able to help these animals and close down the markets, restaurants and slaughterhouses which sell dog and cat meat, by using these laws against these business, as the majority don't comply with the law.SIGN NOW TO END THE CRUEL DOG AND CAT MEAT TRADE IN CHINA AT VOICELESSFRIENDS.ORG

Brazil: Activists invade Institute Royal

***VICTORY***

Activists raided at around 2am on Friday , the headquarters of the Royal Institute in São Roque , São Paulo , Brazil to rescue beagle dogs that would be used in scientific research . Later , rabbits were also evacuated .Groups like Anonymous and Black Bloc , through their pages on social networks , supported the initiative and said to be present in the action . According to CBN radio , about 150 people participated in the invasion .According to reports of protesters , at least 200 dogs were removed from the institute and web pages were created to adoption.Throughout the day there were protests in front of the gate of the institute , which would use beagles in testing cosmetic and pharmaceutical products to be of medium size , docile and considered purebred, theoretically less genetic variation , which makes test results more accurate.On site were seen mutilated animal corpses and frozen . There is no official confirmation on arrest of activists .

by Anonymous Brasil:"A group of activists of the Front vivisection of Brazil is gathered outside the headquarters of the Royal Institute in São Roque , since the dawn of Saturday ( 12 ) , where they do protest against the activities performed by the company . The movement claims the closure of the lab on charges of acts of animal cruelty in the midst of testing pharmaceuticals . The group claims to have gathered a lot of evidence proving the exercise of irregular activities on the site and now charge the support of the City of São Roque and also an effective action of the Prosecutor ( MP ) in question.According to them , the deficiencies in the laboratory of the institute go far beyond the criminal acts committed against animals . " We are repudiating the conduct of the institute , which is a OSCIP ( Civil Society Organization of Public Interest ) , using public money and not have the necessary licenses and permits to perform activities that practice ,""The struggle of Anonymous not only fits the government , companies like these that make animal testing in all cases already are bad and some can overstep the line , doing tests by illegal ways . Many people do not care about these causes , as they think that animals do not deserve this attention , however , imagine that the only species that respects the environment so far are them, we know only humans pollute and ruin it all, animals live in complete harmony with the world and we will let people make them suffer?We are supporting the act against this company and we will send some messages already , rethink about their actions , or we torment them until the end , starting to lay out the data from the chairman, then the employees and the next actions , let alone as a surprise , but do not think that we will not meet , because we are not the government that promise and not fulfill , we are Anonymous, and do not forget not forgive.Join the protest to see events in Facebook :

Survivors of Yulin

by Peter Li, Humane Society International

In June, a dog meat festival was held as planned in June in Yulin, Guangxi, southwest China despite worldwide condemnation. This year, however, the festival was uncharacteristically quiet, low-key and subdued.

A protest in front of Yulin government offices helped send a strong message to the local authorities that brutality brings no tourists or economic profit. The event brought shame to the city and to China as well. More than 42,000 HSI supporters signed a petition calling for it to be cancelled.

On the ground

As the streets became crowded with cages full of doomed animals, members of Guangyuan BoAi Animal Protection Group, a long-time HSI partner organization, took action to help coordinate a rescue campaign.

With funding from HSI and two Chinese groups, BoAi was able to save 421 dogs (including the newborn puppies of two exhausted mothers who had given birth under the blazing hot sun) from butchers' knives.

Unfortunately, 22 dogs died soon after they were unloaded from the traders' truck, but the surviving 399 were readied for transport to a shelter more than 1500 kilometers away.

Difficult conditions

The journey proved to be an added burden for these animals who had already been through so much. On the road, despite their rescuers' best efforts, more did not survive.

When they arrived at the shelter after crossing three provinces, 110 dogs were moved into their new temporary home, where they received immediate veterinary attention.

Sixty-seven of them have been adopted, and the rest continue to receive loving care.

HSI is working hard both to end the dog meat trade and to encourage the growing animal advocacy movement in China. Please support our efforts to help dogs.

PETA India's campaign received
support from high places. Congress President Smt Sonia Gandhi recently urged
the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to consider PETA India's request
for a ban on the testing of cosmetics and their ingredients through the
National Advisory Council Office, while senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP) Lal Krishna Advani had sought the same through his office. Santosh
Chowdhury, the newly appointed Minister of State for Health & Family
Welfare; Dr Mirza Mehboob, former Cabinet Minister of Health, Medical Education
and Family Welfare for the government of Jammu and Kashmir; and Yashodhara Raje
Scindia, former Minister for Tourism, Sports and Youth Welfare for the
government of Madhya Pradesh had all sent strong appeals to the Ministry of
Health & Family Welfare in favour of a total ban on the testing of
cosmetics and their ingredients on animals. Mehboob is also a medical practitioner
who did his MBBS at Srinagar Medical College in Jammu and Kashmir. MP Maneka
Gandhi has been working closely with PETA India's science policy advisor, Dr
Chaitanya Koduri, to push for this ban.

Multinational companies The Body
Shop and LUSH as well as Indian companies such as Omved Lifestyle, Shahnaz
Husain and others had also written to the Ministry of Health & Family
Welfare in full support of a ban after hearing from PETA. Officials from the
Indian Council of Medical Research, the Mahatma Gandhi–Doerenkamp Center for
Alternatives to Use of Animals in Life Science Education and the Animal Welfare
Board of India, a statutory advisory body, had also all expressed support for
the ban.

DCGI's announcement comes in the
wake of the European Union's and Israel's bans on the testing of cosmetics
products and their ingredients on animals, which include a ban on sales of
animal-tested cosmetics, regardless of where those tests were conducted. Israel
has also banned the testing of household products and their ingredients on
animals as well as the sale of such products if they have been tested on
animals. Household products include cleaners and detergents. PETA India is also
campaigning for an end to the testing of household products and their
ingredients on animals in India..

Please note, however, that at present, cosmetics and
personal- care products tested on animals can still be sold in India. Please do
checkPETA's list of companiesthat do not test on animals before you
go shopping.Congratulations
to everyone who worked so hard on this campaign, from celebrities, politicians
and compassionate businesses who lent their support to the many PETA India supporters
who raised their voices and donated time and money to make this achievement
possible. Celebrations are in order all around!

Farmers
in Switzerland routinely EATING cats and dogs with their meals

·Practice
still common among farmers in areas of Switzerland

·The
most popular type of dog is a breed related to the Rotweiler

·Commercial
sale of dog meat is banned in the country, eating is not

It is a practice more
usually associated with Far Eastern countries such as China and Vietnam.

But a report by a
newspaper in Switzerland has revealed that dog and cat meat is still part of
meals in the Alpine nation.

The Tages Anzeiger said
farmers in the Appenzell and St. Gallen areas in particular slaughter the
creatures to eat themselves or to pass on to friends.

Canine snack: Eating dog
meat is still common practice in some areas of Switzerland, a newspaper in the
country has found the favourite type of
meat comes from a dog that is related to the beefy Rottweiler.

‘There’s nothing odd
about it’, a farmer told the paper. ‘Meat is meat. Construction workers in
particular like eating it.’

Another farmer told how
he raised animals and then called in a butcher friend to kill them when they
were ripe for slaughter. Still one more described how he either shot the
creatures, usually adored as pets throughout Europe, or bludgeoned them to
death.

According to the report,
people ate the meat as ‘mostbröckli’ - usually a form of beef or ham that is
marinated, but this one made from dog or cat.

‘No-one knows what it is
when you prepare it in this fashion,’ a farmer added.

Dog's dinner: Although
human consumption of dog meat is mostly associated with Asian countries such as
China, pictured, Swiss farmers confessed to breeding dogs for their meat

While not taking place
on a commercial scale, the practice horrifies animal rights activists in
Switzerland where the eating of such creatures is not forbidden by law, as it
is in nearby Germany.

In Switzerland the
person who wants to kill a cat or a dog will only be prosecuted if the killing
is itself cruel.

DOGGY DINING

Dog meat is eaten in a
number of countries across the globe, but the practice is mostly associated
with Asian nations.

It is most common in
China, South Korea and Vietnam where earing dog is believed to bring good
fortune

Koreans even have a
special 'meat dog' breed called Nureongi which is bred for human consumption
and very rarely kept as a pets.

And the flesh cannot be
sold commercially, even though some communities have pressed in the past for it
to be sold on market days alongside the usual fare of beef, pork and lamb.

The newspaper added;
‘The surveyed farmers spoke about their special preference only through the
assurance of anonymity. All feared a hostile reaction from animal welfare
activists and animal lovers.

‘Animal welfare
organisations and farmers assess the consumption differently, but it is
particularly popular in the Rhine Valley.

'One farmer said he had
stopped eating it purely because it is “frowned upon” by society. He sees this
as the hypocrisy of a society “that can get otherwise not enough meat.”’

There are no official
figures about how many of these animals end up on the plates of the Swiss.

The country also has a
small but thriving trade in cat pelts for coats and bedspreads. The Swiss
parliament rejected changing the laws to protect dogs and cats for human
consumption back in 1993.

Edith Zellweger of the
Salez animal welfare group said; ‘How unscrupulous can a society be that man
eats his best friend?’

She was behind the drive
20 years ago to get the law changed and will press for fresh legislation again.

The Federal Veterinary
Office said it was a ‘cultural matter’ and pointed out that in some countries
dogs are reared specifically to be slaughtered and eaten.

Good News: Bali Stop the illegal slaughter of sea turtles

The governor of Bali, Made Mangku Pastika, has promised an immediate stop of the illegal slaughter of sea turtles.

With banners and posters, 20 activists of the animal and environmental organizations PRO FAUNA and SOS SEATURTLES have demonstrated in front of the government building against the slaughter and trade of the endangered sea turtles on 20th of June, 2013, in Denpasar, Bali.

In the presence of 25 journalists and other media people, around 25,000 signatures on petitions and letters of protests collected by SOS SEATURTLES and OCCUPY FOR ANIMALS, were presented to the Governor of Bali, Made Mangku Pastika.

Kurt Amsler, founder of SOS SEA TURTLES, informed us already yesterday that, after taking over the signatures, the Governor of Bali, Made Mangku Pastika, has promised an immediate stop of the illegal slaughter of sea turtles, to undertake serious actions against the illegal trade by police force, and the governor emphasized to support all efforts protecting this endangered species ... this good news can now be read in the local media.SOS SEA TURTLES, PRO FAUNA and OFA are very happy about this promise, but - as suggested by Kurt Amsler - our petitions will remain active, they will continue to send letters and we'll continue to collect signatures until changes for the endangered sea turtles of Bali are clearly visible, and the success is really approved.

We sincerely thank all the good people who have supported this campaign by signing the petitions and spreading the word.

Without YOU, this would not have been possible. THANK YOU, from the bottom of our heart!

Below, an article published 21st of June, 2013 in The Jakarta Post:

-----------------------------

Pastika pledges to stop turtle slaughter

BY NI KOMANG ERVIANI ON 2013-06-21

Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika has pledged to immediately stop the illegal slaughter of sea turtles on the island following international pressure.

“I will intensify coordination with the Bali Police to tightly supervise the possible illegal trading of sea turtles,” Pastika told journalists when visiting Warmadewa University in Denpasar on Thursday.

Pastika stressed that he completely supported efforts to protect the endangered species.

“Turtles are one of the few surviving prehistoric animals in modern times.”

During his term as Bali Police chief, Pastika frequently held raids confiscating illegally traded and trafficked turtles. Earlier this year, the police seized 33 sea turtles at Tanjung Benoa, while in 2012, the authorities foiled attempts to smuggle 220 sea turtles.

The smuggling and illegal trading of sea turtles onto the island has been longstanding to meet demand for turtle meat, a traditional food in Bali.

The Balinese also use turtle meat in several religious rituals as part of the offerings. However, since 2005, the powerful Indonesian Parishada Hindu Council (PHDI) confirmed that other meats, or images of the animals, could be used in place of the meat of endangered or protected animals, such as turtles and eagles.

Pastika also stressed that the Balinese used very little turtle meat in any ritual. “I still support the use of turtle meat for religious purposes.”

The provincial administration, he said, had enacted stern law enforcement against any parties found selling turtles on the black market.

In addition to enforcing the law, the government has also launched series of campaigns to arouse people’s awareness on the importance of protecting endangered species.

Recently, around 25,000 people signed a petition urging Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika and the tourist industry to stop the illegal slaughter of sea turtles. The petition, on the website change.org, called for support from animal lovers, environmentalists and individuals to protect sea turtles across the island.

Since last March, Indonesia-based ProFauna and SOS-Sea turtle from Switzerland and France have collaborated in the effort to garner voices from the international community to end this cruelty.

Sea turtles, also known as green turtles, are an endangered species and protected by the 1990 law on natural resource conservation. They are also listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), meaning that any commercial trade of specimens caught in the wild of this species is illegal. Indonesia has ratified the convention.

The petition says: ”Hundreds of thousands of people are very much concerned about Bali’s sea turtles and I believe that the existing sea turtle trade is not a good promotion for your country and Bali, which is a beautiful island with friendly people and excellent hospitality”.

“It is not worth risking Bali’s image because of a group of corrupt and irresponsible people from Tanjung Benoa, who decimate one of the oldest inhabitants of the oceans for their own profit. I hope that this situation in Bali is brought under control and the turtle killing will stop as soon as possible. Until such a time, however, I have decided not to visit your country and I will encourage others not to visit either,” the petition declares.

Following the petition, Pastika hoped that there would be no international boycott of Bali’s tourism as the government had been working hard to eradicate illegal turtle trading.

“Bali has been notorious for turtle slaughter. We have to work together to erase that negative image by taking serious action on the issue,” said Jatmiko Wiwoho, coordinator of ProFauna Bali.

About the picture: A policeman holding up one of 71 green turtles rescued in Bali, May 2010. Despite a ban on the turtle trade, the reptile’s meat remains a delicacy on the island.(JG Photo/JP Christo)

Mexican Gulf City Of Veracruz Bans Bullfighting!

Victory!

Veracruz, Mexico –
The government of the Mexican Gulf city of Veracruz has banned bullfighting and
all other shows featuring animals, officials said Wednesday.

Veracruz, a port
city about 300 kilometers (186 miles) east of Mexico City, joined the cities of
Xalapa, Fortin de las Flores, Teocelo and Boca de Rio, all located in Veracruz
state, in banning bullfighting
events.

"We want to thank and congratulate ... the
members of the different animal protection groups in the city of Veracruz who
participated extensively in drafting the new city regulations on the care and
protection of animals," the mayor said.

Nation's First Animal Abuser Registry?

New York: State Senate Passes Bill To Create Nation's First Animal Abuser Registry

New York may be the
first state to have an animal abuser registry, which will function much like a
sex offender index as a way to protect animals and prevent further abuse.The legislation
takes Buster’s Law one step further in protecting animals. Buster’s Law, which
was passed in 1999 after a cat namedBuster was doused in gasoline and
set on fire, makes animal cruelty a felony offense in New York. Any violator of
Buster’s Law, if this new bill passes, will have their name and address put in
the registry. In addition, violators would also have to undergo a psychiatric
evaluation — since harming animals is a gateway to harming humans — and will
never be allowed to own a pet again (The bill was inspired by Buster's Law, a
case about a cat named Buster that was set on fire after being soaked in
gasoline)

The bill has already passed the New York State
Senate, as Senator Greg Ball (R-Patterson) announced Tuesday.

“Buster’s Law was a landmark bill for our furry
little friends. This animal abuse registry will prevent repeat animal abuse
offenders,” said Ball. “Persons who commit crimes against animals represent
some of the worst kind of people, and often expand their carnage to their
neighbors and the larger community. Most people can agree that the level of
respect and kindness shown for animals, creatures who cannot speak for
themselves, or protect themselves and are easily abused and taken advantage of,
is a fine predictor of how a person will treat their peers. Violent and cruel
behavior towards animals, cannot and should not be tolerated.”

The registry will be accessible to the public so
that anyone involved in the selling and adoption of pets will be able to look
up names on the registry to better ensure the animal will be placed in safe
hands.

Now, the bill will be voted on in the assembly,
where Rep. Jim Tedisco (R-Glenville) will sponsor the legislation and work to
get it voted into law.

New York state residents, please call your representatives and voice your support for this bill!

11 of June of 2013

Brasil: Chamber approves bury pets with owners

São Paulo, Brasil

In the online edition of Folha de São Paulo Newspaper you can read:The Municipality of São Paulo approved on first vote on Thursday (16), the bill that allows pets to be buried in the same grave with their owners in municipal cemeteries.Yesterday, the proposal had been approved by the Committee on Constitution and Justice of the House. Now, the project still needs to go through another vote in the House before being sanctioned by Mayor Fernando Haddad (PT).Under the bill of the councilors Roberto Tripoli (PV) and Antonio Goulart (PSD), the burial is intended for pets of families who already have deposit in municipal cemeteries.According to Goulart, the project's goal is to address the current lack of location for disposal of dead animals in the city.According to the councilor, many people want to bury your pet in the family plot. "The animal is part of the family."The bill was introduced on the House floor last week. "The project will go smoothly."It is an actual topic," predicted Goulart.The Funeral Service says the city may need a study to assess the technical feasibility of the proposal.

Mother's Love

It happened in a square in Urea / RJ (Brasil). Exciting scene of a sad mother, a marmoset, animals very common in the region for moving freely over the wires and walls in search of food. The desperate mother tried to revive her little baby who fell from a height of 5 meters on a wooden bench that sits in the square. The animal was apparently jumping from one side to the other without caring about the people around him. When she felt that the little animal did not had any kind of reaction anymore the mother stroked him and kissed him on his calf as if she knew she would never see him again. Then the sad mother without any hope left her baby on the wooden bench already dead and gone. The people who were around and witnessed the whole scene, some with eyes full of tears, gradually left the place without saying a single word, and in a few minutes the environment became a place of reflection.

8 of May of 2013

Congratulations Italy!

In Italy run over animals must be rescued

From December the 27th 2012 on, all drivers and passers-by in the Italian roads will be legally compelled to aid hit and injured animals, as it already happens with human beings. This rule, recently published in the Official Gazette of the Republic, extends the duty to rescue to “dogs, cats, or any other animal that was run over in the road”.

The law won’t be applicable only to the responsible of running over the animal, but also to any person who sees the injured creature. The animal must be taken to a veterinary hospital, and the driver of the car is allowed, during this ride, to use the claxon and miss the traffic signals, just the same as if they were carrying an injured person; this aims at making sure (as much as possible) that the animal survives. The other drivers will have to give way to this vehicle, and officers won’t sanction the driver, it being an exceptional situation.

Animals run over in the roads aren’t often killed instantly, and they can be run over again, suffering a slow, painful death that could have been avoided, and also posing danger to the traffic.

According to the national daily Corriere della Sera, an emergency system is being studied, so citizens can phone an assistance service and have the animals cared for just in the spot where the accident took place. This would make things substantially easier in cases of very serious injuries or wild animals.

This measure makes Italy the leading European country in respect and animal welfare policies, and it causes other countries, like, for instance, Spain, to demand this kind of laws too. This way, cases like the one recently reported in Puerto de Santa María (Cádiz, Spain), where the Police refused to stop the traffic to allow a citizen to pick up an injured animal (therefore increasing the risks for the citizen, who anyway crossed the road, for the other drivers and for the animal), could be prevented.

source: thepetsjournal.com1 of May of 2013

How touching is this:Adorable disabled dog greets returning airman

Many dogs with needs like Emma are euthanized every year, this is an example of true love and commitment as it should always be. I hope this inspire people to adopt animals with special needs such as Emma*

"A one year old pit-bull called Emma fights daily with a bone
disease that has severely limited her movements - but even this couldn't stop her when its owner recently returned from a tour of duty. Emma is one of three
dogs that belong to Melissa Swanson and her husband, who is an aviator and was
six months in Afghanistan.

As this touching video shows, while the other dogs, Mikey
and Jesse, run to greet their owner, Emma comes in third place. But this
does not prevent her from moving as fast as she can, with the power of the sun
forelegs. Emma suffers from a congenital abnormality of the vertebrae (scoliosis), and also has a neurological disorder similar to
cerebral palsy. The combination of her condition means that the front legs are
weak and her back legs are useless.

In the video you can see that Emma initially struggle to
keep pace with the other dogs. Yet, as the movie shows,
she comes to the front door and is determined not to be left out of the welcome
parties at home. She also gains a hold her owner arms and cuddle for
all her hard work.

"Emma and her 'dad' have always been very close! It
broke my heart to see her running towards him, "wrote Melissa. "When
I come home, she usually is at the end of the hallway and waiting for me to
take her. This time, when his father came in, she ran to him! Mikey (the dog)
was so happy I cried! "

Despite several attempts, Emma has not yet found a
wheelchair for dogs that would fit because of its front legs that are not
powerful enough to help her carry her weight. Emma obviously has his Facebook
profile if you want to see his other videos or learn more about her."

5 of April of 2013

Healthy Eating Plate

by Harvard, School of Public Health

Very interesting this article about the new food pyramid. As you can read,as time passes by, experts approach and reinforce the vegetarians and vegans way of life.

Harvard’s
New Guide to Healthy Eating

Start
here to learn more about the new Healthy Eating Plate created by nutrition
experts at Harvard School of Public Health, in conjunction with Harvard Health
Publications. The Healthy Eating Plate can be your blueprint for planning a
healthy balanced meal, and it fixes key flaws in the U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s MyPlate.

How can you follow the Healthy
Eating Plate? Here’s a rundown, section by section:

·Fill half of your plate with
vegetables and fruits. The more
color, and the more variety on this part of the plate, the better. Potatoes and
French fries don’t count as vegetables on the Healthy Eating Plate, because
they are high in fast-digested starch (carbohydrate), which has the same
roller-coaster effect on blood sugar and insulin as white bread and sweets.
These surges, in the short term, can lead to hunger and overeating, and in the
long term, can lead to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and other health problems.
Read more about vegetables and fruits, or read more about carbohydrates and health.

·Save a quarter of your plate
for whole grains—not just any grains: Whole
grains—whole wheat, brown rice, and foods made with them, such as whole wheat
pasta—have a gentler effect on blood sugar and insulin than white bread, white
rice, and other so-called “refined grains.” That’s why the Healthy Eating Plate
says to choose whole grains—the less processed, the better—and limit refined
grains. Read more about whole grains.

·Put a healthy source of protein
on one quarter of your plate:

1. Mix it up. Most reasonable diets provide enough protein for healthy people. Eating a variety of foods will ensure that you get all of the amino acids you need.

3. Limit red meat—and avoid processed meat. Research suggests that people who eat even modest amounts of red meat have a higher risk of developing colon cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, and a higher risk of dying from heart disease, cancer, or any cause. There’s also substantial evidence that replacing red meat with (..) beans, or nuts, could help prevent heart disease and diabetes—and could lower the risk of early death. And skip the processed stuff—bacon, hot dogs, and deli meats—since that’s linked even more strongly to cancer, heart disease, and diabetes risk. Try these healthy protein recipes for nuts and tofu (..).

4. Eat soy in moderation. Tofu and other soy foods are an excellent red meat alternative. In some cultures, tofu and soy foods are a protein staple, and we don’t suggest any change. Butif you haven’t grown up eating lots of soy, there’s no reason to go overboard: Two to 4 servings a week is a good target; eating more than that likely won’t offer any health benefits and we can’t be sure that there is no harm. And stay away from supplements that contain concentrated soy protein or extracts, such as isoflavones, as we just don’t know the long term effects. Read more about soy and health.

5. Balance carbs and protein. Cutting back on highly processed carbohydrates and increasing protein improves levels of blood triglycerides and HDL, and so may reduce your chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or other form of cardiovascular disease. It may also make you feel full longer, and stave off hunger pangs.

·Use healthy plant oils. The glass bottle near the Healthy Eating Plate is a
reminder to use healthy vegetable oils, like olive, canola, soy, corn,
sunflower, peanut, and others, in cooking, on salad, and at the table. Limit
butter, and avoid unhealthy trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils. Read
more about healthy fats.

·Drink water, coffee or tea. On the Healthy Eating Plate, complete your meal with a
glass of water, or if you like, a cup of tea or coffee (with little
or no sugar). (Questions about caffeine
and kids? Read more.) Limit milk and dairy products to one to two
servings per day, since high intakes are associated with increased risk of
prostate cancer and possibly ovarian cancer. Limit juice to a small glass per
day, since it is as high in sugar as a sugary soda. Skip the sugary drinks,
since they provide lots of calories and virtually no other nutrients. And over
time, routinely drinking sugary drinks can lead to weight gain, increase the
risk of type 2 diabetes, and possibly increase the risk of heart disease. Read
more about healthy drinks, or read
more about calcium, milk, and health.

·Stay active. The small red figure running across the Healthy Eating
Plate’s placemat is a reminder that staying active is half of the secret to
weight control. The other half is eating a healthy diet with modest portions
that meet your calorie needs. Read 20 tips for staying active.

They forgot to mention about the red meat that horse meat and even human meat were found in there!! it has been found in processed meat! it must be the most disgusting thing to eat nowadays not to mention murder!!

15 of March of 2013

No Cruel Cosmetics

Europe has listened - and said No to Cruel Cosmetics!

*find out what it really means*

2013 is set to be a truly historic year for the BUAV. Their
long-fought campaign to end animal testing for cosmetics is finally nearing an
end in Europe, with the implementation of the last phase of the European
Union’s ban set to come into force on 11th March 2013.

It has been a long and
difficult journey but they have been there every step of the way fighting the
postponements and delays in their determination to end animal testing for
cosmetics in Europe.

They are immensely proud of this
achievement – we have been campaigning to end animal testing for cosmetics for
over 40 years – and we have finally done it! Thank you to everyone who has
supported this fight along the way.

A
long-fought road to victory

1898– The British Union for the
Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) was founded to campaign against all forms of
animal testing

1973- The BUAV first brought the issue of
cosmetics testing on animals to the public attention

1990- The BUAV established the European
Coalition to End Cosmetics Tests on Animals (now the European Coalition to End
Animal Experiments – ECEAE) an alliance of leading European animal
organisations formed for the purpose of ending animal tests for cosmetics in
the EU

1991- The BUAV and ECEAE organise an
international march and rally in Brussels and an iconic, larger than life
‘laboratory rabbit’ Vanity tours countries across Europe to urge MEPs to vote
to end animal tests for cosmetics

1996- Chrissie Hynde and Anita Roddick, founder
of The Body Shop, joined members of the BUAV, ECEAE and MEPs in presenting a
petition containing 4 million signatures to the European Commission to end
animal testing for cosmetics

2004- A ban on animal testing of finished
cosmetic products (but not ingredients) was imposed in Europe.

2009- Testing of cosmetic ingredients on
animals anywhere in the EU is made illegal, as was selling or importing into
the EU any animal tested ingredients to be used in cosmetics. However, three
animal tests were made exempt in order to allow non-animal tests to be
validated.

2011- The BUAV and its European partners launch
the No Cruel Cosmetics campaign to call for the import and sales ban to be
implemented in 2013 as planned without delay or derogation.

2012– The BUAV founds Cruelty Free
International, the first organisation to campaign for a global ban on animal
tests for consumer products. The Body Shop hosts our global pledge campaign in
its stores worldwide.

11th
March 2013– a
complete and total ban on animal testing for cosmetics is implemented in the EU

What the EU ban on the import and sale of animal tested cosmetics
will mean

After 11th March, no company can carry out new animal tests for cosmetics purposes outside of the EU for products to be sold in the EU. Cosmetics companies can, however, continue to sell in the EU products with ingredients that have been animal tested in the past.

If a product has ingredients which have been animal tested after the ban comes into effect, a company will not be able to market this in Europe, even if it sells the same product in other global markets.

Companies (even if they are based in the EU) will still be able to sell products with animal tested ingredients outside of the EU, assuming that the animal testing was done somewhere else in the world. This opens up the theoretical possibility of a company conducting animal tests for ingredients in some markets but using non animal methods and existing data for the EU Market. Aside from the animal welfare implications, this would obviously increase costs and effort for companies so we hope that the more likely impact is that global companies put an increasing emphasis on non-animal tests for all of their markets.

Over 80% of the world still allows animal testing for cosmetics and some countries, notably China, require imported products to be tested on animals before they reach the market. The impact of the EU ban for global companies makes change in other markets much more likely. Cruelty Free International is now building on success achieved in the EU to call on all Governments to end animal testing for cosmetics which will give a level playing field to all companies.

You can also watch the video about the history of BUAV campaign to end animal testing for cosmetics in the EU.

source: cited from www.buav.org8 of March of 2013

On Our way to Victory

congratulations to all of You activists!

Tell
President Obama to make Arctic drilling “off limits”

It's big news.
But just the start of something bigger. Now it's time for President Obama to
abandon the idea of Arctic drilling completely and declare the Arctic 'off
limits' to industrial exploitation, forever.

Shell was
supposed to be the best of the best, but the long list of mishaps and
near-disasters from the company's failed attempt to drill in the Arctic last
summer is a clear indication even the 'best' companies can't succeed in Arctic
drilling.

President Obama
and his administration gave Arctic drilling a chance and Shell proved that it
isn't possible. It's time we kick our addiction to fossil fuels and deal with
global warming decisively. That starts today and it starts with leadership from
President Obama.

In
March 2012, in response to questions from the UK's Parliamentary Environmental
Audit Committee, Peter Velez, Shell's head of emergency response in the Arctic
admitted that Shell had not assessed the costs of a clean-up operation in the
Arctic, leaving shareholders exposed to potentially huge financial losses.

2.
Shell's barge, the Arctic Challenger, was not deemed safe enough by the US
government

3.
US Coast Guard "not confident" with Shell's dispersants in the event
of an oil spill

4.
Shell's drill ship runs aground in a 'stiff breeze'

5.
Shell's drill ship catches fire

6.
Shell's capping stack safety system 'crushed like a beer can' during testing

7.
Shell's Alaskan Vice-President admits: "There will be spills"

8.
Shell's Arctic oil rig hits the rocks

Source: cited from www.greenpeace.org

BUAV WELCOMES
POLICY BY UNITED AIRLINES TO STOP MONKEY SHIPMENTS

The BUAV is delighted to announce that United
Airlines has now made an official statement that it will no longer transport
primates destined for the research industry.

This new policy has been posted on the United Airlineswebsite and states: “We do not book, accept or transport primates to or from
medical research facilities.”

For many years, the BUAV has urged United
Airlines - which has been one of the last remaining airlines not to have in
place a policy on the transport of primates for research –to formally implement
a policy stating that it will no longer accept primates for carriage to and
from laboratories. We are delighted that the airline has now done so.

United Airlines now joins the BUAV's growing listof major international airlinesto take a stance
against the cruel business of shipping primates around the world for this
purpose. Other airlines include British Airways, Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic,
Air China, Northwest Airlines, Qantas, South African Airways, American
Airlines, Delta Airlines, Eva Air and China Airlines.

The BUAV has, over the years, led the
campaign to end the international transportation of primates for research. Our
hard-hitting investigations and research continues to uncover the cruelty and
suffering inflicted on primates in the trapping fields, on farms and in
laboratories.

In December we were delighted to report that
the Canadian Transportation Authority upheld Air Canada's decision to stop
transporting primates. The decision by Air Canada was in the wake of the public
outcry that followed BUAV exposing the airline's role in transprting primates
from China to Canada in 2011.

Please support the BUAV Cargo Cruelty campaign and urge the remaining few
airlines to finally cease their involvement in this barbaric trade. Those major
airlines that continue to fly primates for research include Air France, China
Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines.

Prime Minister
Shinawatra said at the opening of the Convention on the International Trade in
Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Bangkok that Thailand would
take steps to end ivory trade – the first time the Thai government has said
this publicly.

“As a next step we
will forward amending the national legislation with the goal of putting an end
on ivory trade and to be in line with international norms,” Prime Minster
Shinawatra said. “This will help protect all forms of elephants including
Thailand’s wild and domestic elephants and those from Africa.”

Ending ivory trade
in Thailand – currently the world’s largest unregulated ivory market – will go
a long way in stemming a global poaching crisis that is leading to the
slaughter of tens of thousands of elephants each year and fuelling a global
criminal trade in animal parts.

“We’re thrilled to
hear that Prime Minister Shinawatra took this opportunity to seize the global
spotlight and pledge to end ivory trade in her country. But the fight to stop
wildlife crime and shut down Thailand’s ivory markets is not over. Prime
Minister Shinawatra now needs to provide a timeline for this ban and ensure
that it takes place as a matter of urgency, because the slaughter of elephants
continues,” said Carlos Drews head of WWF’s delegation to CITES.

Thailand is
currently the largest illegal ivory market behind China. Officials have
certified 67 authorized ivory vendors. However, market surveys have found ivory
in more than 250 shops. Much of this ivory is purchased by foreign tourists.

The prime
minister’s decision comes as WWF and TRAFFIC continue asking CITES governments
to sanction countries fuelling the global illegal wildlife trade. Poaching has
escalated to crisis levels in recent years, and is a major threat to iconic
species such as elephants, rhinos and tigers.

Thailand, Nigeria
and Democratic Republic of Congo have failed repeatedly to address their
rampant domestic ivory markets despite CITES rules that outlaw the unregulated
sale of ivory. Under treaty rules, CITES member states can recommend that
parties stop trading with non-compliant countries in the 35,000 species covered
under the convention, from timbers to crocodile skins.

Note: this version corrects a quote
by PM Shinawatra that was improperly attributed.

HELP A.L.F. (Animal Liberation Front)

Who is A.L.F.The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) or the Animal Liberation Front (FLA) in its Italian version, consists of autonomous groups of people all over the world who perform actions according to guidelines.These groups are called cells, which vary from one individual to many people working together. Activists in a cell does not know those of other cells because they remain anonymous. This helps them remain unknown, not to involve too many people in the event of arrest or of people who unfortunately begin to work after a stop, remaining therefore free to continue to act.Since there is no central organization or a way to subscribe all ALF, people move only according to their personal conscience or decisions of the cell with which they work. The ALF is non-hierarchical, so that every individual who makes an action has full control of his choices and his destiny. Each action following guidelines can be considered an ALF element.ALF actions are responsible for the economic sabotage and damage to private property for the liberation of animals.
There is no way to contact the ALF because it is only an idea and not an organization, is for each of you to decide whether to take the responsibility to fight to stop the exploitation of animals.
An activist arrested for actions ALF said:
"When you see the images of a masked liberator, stop asking who it could be and begin to look in the mirror!"

How you can support A.L.F:

Donate and support ALF Press Office here
Every donation goes directly to their Press Office programs including: the maintenance of the website, the organization of events and meetings, detainees support, printed materials such as flyers, posters, etc. and computer equipment, research and in-depth news, the dissemination of news and information.

None of the persons responsible for the Press Office receives salary or any compensation for it, they all use their own resources and put them on hand to keep the site's features. Their time and efforts are to maintain what they believe to be an integral part of the struggle animal liberation.

Give moral support to some of the prisoners

They have been deprived of their liberty because they wanted to return it to those who had already been oppressed.

Support them and make them feel they made the choice that we should all have made.

Here you will find the names of all the prisoners and their addresses to write to support them.

Important:

There are two ways to write to prisoners: e-mail and paper letters.

In the second case there are specific rules to follow.
Do not put paper clips, stickers, photos, images, designs or stamps on envelopes.
Most of the prisons only accept cards and letters, do not put anything extra in an envelope

Always include your address (sender) on the outside of the envelope as well as on the letter.
Do not talk about anything illegal. Not to mention the case of the prisoner.
Everything that you write to a prisoner will be read and analyzed by prison officials.
Prisoners may be penalized for things that people wrote to him.

Congratulations!!!

*Message from BUAV*Countdown to Victory!We did it! EU set to ban animal testing for cosmetics forever.We are delighted to be celebrating the end to animal testing for cosmetics in Europe with the anticipated announcement that the import and sale of animal tested cosmetic products and ingredients is to be banned in the EU on 11th March 2013.This ban represents a significant milestone and is the accumulation of over 40 years of campaigning by the BUAV to end cosmetics testing on animals in the UK and EU. You can find out more about the history of our campaign to end cosmetics testing on animals by visiting our website.

Image: BUAV's iconic larger-than-life laboratory rabbit and friends toured throughout the UK and other countries in the EU meeting politicians and attracting a huge amount of public attention to our campaign.Over the years we have fought each postponement and delay in our determination to end animal testing for cosmetics in Europe. With our partners in the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAE), we took our message to the public, the media, key European government departments and ultimately to Europe.Our campaign to end cosmetics tests on animals has attracted large amounts of support from the public, politicians, and celebrities alike, including Sir Paul McCartney, Ricky Gervais, Sienna Miller, Jenny Seagrove, Chrissie Hynde and Morrissey.We recognised the importance of a sales ban early on where no animal tested cosmetics could be sold in Europe, and continued in our fight to achieve both this and a testing ban. The ban will mean that from 11th March onwards, anyone who wishes to sell new cosmetic products and ingredients in the EU must not test them on animals anywhere in the world. The ban affects all cosmetics including toiletries and beauty products from soap to toothpaste.The proposed ban sends a strong message worldwide in support of cruelty free beauty and in particular, to countries such as China, who still demand animal testing for cosmetics, to also respond and ban testing on animals.Thank you to everyone who has supported the BUAV – we couldn’t have done it without you! Be sure to keep visiting our website, Facebook and Twitter accounts over the next few weeks, as we will be launching a range of special commemorative activities in the countdown to 11th March.

28 of January of 2013

Man taught wolves to live in freedom

A German researcher has created a sanctuary for wolves in 1972.In 40 years he created more than 70 animals in the wild.The wolves were still babies when acquired in zoos or animal parks.Initially they were mostly fed by hand. Werner Freund took over as the leader of the pack to teach the wolves to respect themselves and live together.Currently there are 29 wolves in the Wolfspark Werner Freund located in Merzig,German province of Saarland.They live in six groups from European, Siberian, Canadian, Arctic and Mongolian regions.The mentor of this project is Werner Freund, 79 years old, former paratrooper who became researcher and now lives next to the park.

The cat who visits his Master in the tomb

The story of a cat who brings gifts daily to the tomb of his master, dead for more than a year, moved the inhabitants of the small town of Marliana in Tuscany (central Italy).

"Toldo brings small things such as twigs, leaves, sticks and plastic cups," told Ada, the widow of Iozelli Renzo, who lives in the small medieval town of Montagnana Pistoiese, belonging to the municipality of Marliana."Sometimes he comes with me and sometimes he goes alone. The whole town knows him now," said the widow.Toldo, a gray and white three years old cat, attended the funeral of Renzo Iozelli in September of 2011 and since then has the habit of visiting the cemetery, something that usually dogs do."He really loved my husband, he accompanied him everywhere. Now he's with me, my daughter and son in law, and also quite likes of us," adds Ada.

21 of December of 2012

A Christmas Story

I had to share this story with You. It's just too beautiful not to be shared..

"Buster has never been in a home, but he’s never gone without. For five years Buster has been by the side of Joe Groomes, a homeless man. When rescue workers from Carmen’s Rescue spotted Joe and Buster they stopped to see if Buster needed help. What they found was a dog better taken care of than most and they are now doing what they can to help Groomes.

Groomes took in Buster, an American bulldog, almost five years ago and credits Buster with saving him many times. In those five years Groomes has made sure Buster had everything he needed, including shots and medicine. Anything Groomes has, Buster has a well. “Sometimes I’d have to do without, but it’s worth it,” said Groomes. “He’s innocent. He can’t do it for himself.”

When Sheri Kassalias and Kayce Emondson of Carmen’s Rescue spotted Groomes and Buster last Wednesday they stopped to see if Buster needed help. The rescue group often saves loose and abandoned dogs in South Carolina. When they met Joe and Buster they felt compelled to help out a human. They were amazed at how well taken care of Buster was. “You don’t see a dog as healthy as Buster. He looks healthier than my dogs and he’s never been in a home” said Warren Gerhardt. “It’s remarkable that Joe’s been able to do that.”

The rescue posted Groomes and Buster’s story on Facebook and started a donation site to help the two stay in a hotel through Christmas. Buster will also have a full veterinarian check-up where he will be neutered, micro-chipped and receive documented shots. There is also work to find Groomes a job, as people in the rescue community have offered Groomes an opportunity to work with a dog trainer.

Victory: Zara commits to going toxic-free!

ZARA clothing items have been found to contain hazardous chemicals. Some of these chemicals break down to form hormone-disrupting chemicals which can then be released into waterways around the world. Traces of cancer-causing chemicals that are released from dyes were also found.

We believe in fashion without pollution. Big brands like H&M and Marks and Spencer have already committed to clean up their supply chains and Detox. But ZARA, the world's largest fashion retailer, remained silent till yesterday.

Zara, the world’s largest clothing retailer, yesterday announced a commitment to go toxic-free following nine days of intense public pressure. This win belongs to the fashion-lovers, activists, bloggers and denizens of social media. This is people power in action.see full article here3 of October of 2012

Week News

Here
I leave you a few good/bad news from this week, some updates and new petitions
to sign.

Remember
always to take 10 minutes a day to help us live in a better World!

From Seapherd:

September
28th - a pod of 20-25 pilot whales
was driven into the cove and held two days
captive.

September 30th
- dolphins at Taiji dolphin base were frantic and crying out. Trainers
avoided feeding time at the holding pens due to rough current and strong winds.

Nine Cove Guardians have traveled from Australia, Brazil,
United Kingdom and United States. An amazing strong team of voices for the
dolphins !!!

October 2nd - all 12 killing boats have returned
to Taiji harbor. The dolphins are safe today.

October 3rd - due to the rough ocean current, all
12 boats have returned to Taiji harbor without killing dolphins today. Another
safe day for the dolphins.

From Wildlife
Conservation Society:

One of our closest relatives in the wild,
gorillas could soon be animals that our grandchildren only learn about in story
books. Poachers and disease have ravaged gorilla populations, bringing many of
them to the brink of extinction.

But they say that good things come in small
packages, and for gorillas the difference between life and death could be as
small as a postage stamp.

Since the Save Vanishing Species stamp went
on sale one year ago, it's raised a staggering $1.58 million for gorillas,
tigers, elephants, and other endangered species.

But this critical legislation will expire if
Congress doesn't renew it. That's whywe've set a goal to send 100,000 letters to Congress in one week's time.

2) Success! Super Trawler Banned
From Australia’s Oceans

Amid a junkyard scrap in São Carlos (SP-Brasil), an example
of solidarity rests. The dog Lilica lives on site and shares space with a dog,
a cat, a rooster, a hen and even a mule. Every night, all have dinner warranted
because Lilica does her part.

As the afternoon goes away, the dog strictly complies with a
mission. The destination is home of Professor Lucia Helena de Souza, which
creates 13 dogs and 30 cats, all collected from the street. After serving
dinner in the class, the teacher prepares a lunchbox for Lilica.

"I realized that she ate and stared at what was in the
bag. Then a neighbor said, and gave the impression that Lilica wanted to take
the rest of the food. Then we tied it and took the bag and gave it to Lilica.
From that day on we do it, "says Souza.

The meeting is punctual, always occurs around 21h30. The dog
kills hunger, get the baggie with food separately by the teacher and gets back
to the junkyard. There are two miles of walking on the side of a very busy
highway. In the dark, the track is even more dangerous, but Lilica goes through
safely and within minutes arrives with dinner to the other animals.

Lilica carries lunchbox prepared by teacher

for other animals (Photo: Pedro Santana / EPTV)

The grooming Neile Vanya Antonio, who found Lilica abandoned
as a puppy in the old iron gate, grabs the bag and open to all animals eat.
What remains is for breakfast. The story is repeated every day for three years.

Owner Neile says that since he saw the dog first realized she
was different. "The people who are human don't do that. Some people hide
and do not want to share what you have. She did not, Lilica is an exceptional
animal, "she says.

02 of October of 2012

A cry for help

Why do human created zoos? emprisioned wild animals, taken them from their habitat and caged like prisioners live a sad life behind those cages while man visit them with their children as it was a great thing to see - a wild animal struggling to be free.

So many stories we hear of animals trying to escape from the zoos, getting tired of being captives and hurting somebody and those animals end to be put down.

And besides doing that human being goes further and does things like you see down here.

Please help these animals, be their voice!

The poor donkeys that you see in this
picture will be food for more than 30 lions at Alexandria Zoo.

Looking for good news? :)

I have got just the right one for you!See is ugly what is happening around the World. Activists are bombarded by petitions, actions and most of the times bad news.. but good things happen fruit of our effort!In China where dogs are murdered and eaten a movement is spreading quickly and gaining more adepts in the way :)What started with only one person in 2002 is now a big action that is being embraced by the old, young and college students are joining her movement. The activists have begun stopping trucks along the highway carrying dogs to slaughter and then negotiating their release. Over the past year, animal lovers have stopped eight other dog-meat sellers along China's roadways and rescued an estimated 2,000 dogs!

If a single person was capable of such a project imagine what we all can do!

Share this news! Let's bring joy to all activists who daily fight for a better World!

Worldwide Massacre

how did we let our World come to this?If injustices take place it is our fault, from all of us. See, there's a phrase:"the world would be saved if good men had the same courage of scoundrels". How come good people don't fight against injustices and keep in silence? How can we let evil be more than good?People tend to find all kind of excuses for doing nothing. Let me tell, there are many ways of helping if you want to: you can sign the petitions, be present at manifestations, donate money or other stuff you have, keep informed, boycott these Countries by not buying anything made in there and not visiting them, buy cruelty-free products, look for the label which lets you know the providing Country of your food and clothing and don't buy anything provided by cruel brands or cruel Countries.

Greetings from Croatia

Boycott Croatia

Greetings from Bulgaria

Boycott Bulgaria

Greetings from Albania

Boycott Albania

Greetings from France, Spain and Portugal

Boycott France, Spain and Portugal

Greetings from Italy

Boycott Italy

Greetings from Sicily

Boycott Sicily

Greetings from Japan

Boycott Japan

Greetings from Romenia

Boycott Romenia

Greetings from China

Boycott China

4 of September of 2012

The Cove is blue

our hero Captain Paul Watson

The slaughter began September 1! The Cove Guardians work to put and end to the brutal killing of 20,000 dolphins, porpoises, and small whales that occurs each year in Japan.

The World manifest itself towards these brutal killings and the Japanese media gave ZERO news about the worldwide protests. Not a line in the newspapers. Not one word on radio or television.

Till today none dolphin has been killed! The World is praying and actively fighting to rid these creatures from evil hands.

Here is the communicate of the Captain Paul Watson, founder and President of Seashepherd Conservation Society arrested in Germany while rightfully protecting these animals, curiously demanded extradition to Japan and now declared fugitive from Germany while kept in probation.

"We will not back down" is the last communicate from the Captain dated 28 August 2012:

Italy: abolition of dangerous breeds list

Italy has announced it will abolish the dangerous breeds
list and replace it with the criminal and civil liability of dog owners. Aggressive
training, doping and cosmetic surgeries will also be prohibited - dog will just
go under the knife if presenting health problems.

"This is a historic day for the activities of the ministry over the
relationship between man and animal, an extraordinary work within the European
framework," said the Deputy Minister of Health of Italy, Francesca Martini.
The new Decree on "assaults and dogs" comes into force in April and
also provides that veterinarians should establish a register of the dogs considered
violent - these dogs must use collar and muzzle when coming outside.
The decree has seven items and includes some basic obligations, such as the one
that states that the owner is responsible for the stool that his dog makes on
the street, told the ANSA news agency.
According to Francesca, the methods adopted in previous decrees on dogs “had no
scientific basis.” “There are no dangerous breeds.”
“The previous decree, which listed 17 races, produced no results, because the
law did not concern the responsibility of the owners, attacks did not diminish,
on the contrary, became constant. With this historic decree, overcome the
blacklist which was useless, we improve public safety, "concluded the
deputy minister.

22 of August of 2012

Ecuador: Dogs bring joy to children with cancer

Every wednesday, children admitted to hospital Society Against
Cancer (Solca) of Ecuador in Quito, receive two special "guests":
Lancelot and Juci - two four-legged friends who visit the sick children in
order to provide them with lots of smiles :)

Since 2005 the
dogs of the voluntary Veronica Pardo began to make friends with children who
are most discouraged - especially those suffering from end-stage cancers.
Initially, the animals were confined to playing with them in the garden of the
hospital before chemotherapy, but the benefits of their presence were so
significant that the initiative evolved.

Between 2005 and
2010, hospital officials found that, on Wednesdays, the number of children who
showed worsening in health status was lower than on other days because their
adrenaline levels climbed to play with the dogs, which provided them with a
better resistance to aggressive treatment sessions.

From that time visits
were allowed by dogs to rooms for boys and girls admitted to the hospital. Now,
every week, properly dewormed and bathed, Lancelot and Juci jump to the beds of
these small ones and that is when the "miracle" occurs , says
Veronica Pardo, quoted by the Associated Press.

"Sometimes they
no longer want to eat, their mothers cannot visit them, they don’t want to take
their medicine or do not want to talk to the doctors," says the volunteer.
However, when the animals arrive, everything changes.

"Children
smile, talk, fill up with life," share, revealing that dogs remain lying
beside them, welcoming their affection and hugs and building a relationship
with them so enduring that often is only destroyed by death.

Veronica Pardo,
38, a married mother of two children, owns, along with her husband, Mauricio
Dávila, a veterinary center in Ecuador. According to Pardo, the mission she meets
with her two dogs is a form of gratitude towards life.

Ten years ago, the
volunteer discovered that she suffered from epilepsy and, thanks to one of them
came to be always advised in advance that would have seizures, which made her daily
life easier.

"Life is not
just to receive, is also to give. I go one day a week to the hospital, children
with cancer and their families are dealing for years with the disease," she
concludes.

21 of August of 2012

Fighting Bull Fighting

It's a tradition devotes would say. So was stoning people to death and hanging them by their neck while population watched but we have progressed and ended those traditions ... have we really?
Human being is considered to be the most developed animal of the all animals. But if we considered that other animals don't feel pleasure and happiness with other 's animals suffering, how developed are we in fact?
Let's find out the definition of Bullfighting: "a traditional spectacle of Spain, Portugal, southern Franceand some Hispanic Americancountries (Mexico,Colombia,Ecuador,Venezuelaand Peru)and the Philippines, in which one or morebullsare baited, and then killed in abullringfor sport and entertainment. As such, it is often called a blood sport by its detractors, but followers of the spectacle regard it as a 'fine art' and not a sport, as there are no elements of competition in the proceedings. In Portugal, it is illegal to kill a bull in the arena, so it is removed and slaughtered in the pens as fighting bulls can only be used once.The tradition, as it is practiced today, involves professional toreros (also called matadors) who execute various formal moves which can be interpreted and innovated according to the bullfighter's style or school. Toreros seek to elicit inspiration and art from their work and an emotional connection with the crowd transmitted through the bull. Such maneuvers are performed at close range, which places the bullfighter at risk of being gored or trampled. After the bull has been hooked multiple times behind the shoulder by other matadors in the arena, the bullfight usually concludes with the killing of the bull by a single sword thrust, which is called estocada. In Portugal, the finale consists of a tradition called the pega, where men (forcados) try to grab and hold the bull by its horns when it runs at them.Supporters of bullfighting argue that it is a culturally important tradition and a fully developed art form on par with painting, dancing and music, while animal rights advocates hold that it is a blood sport resulting in the suffering of bulls and horses. "

How come Presidents and population who rule these Countries let some psychopaths make up excuses to torture, slaughter and kill animals?

How came just a hundred people appeared to try to stop them?

I saw this video and what happened there was very upsetting. It dates from October 11, 2011

In France, about 100 people in an act of great courage, marched peacefully in a bullring. It was during a show where six calves were tortured, in a competition in which children are taught to torture calves. Some anti-bullfighting activists protested in the stands and major part sat in the arena. They were dragged by the hair, took punches and kicks, without always react the same way violent. Twenty, eventually had to resort to emergency medical services and one of the girls was in shock. A journalist was also beaten. The police did not act. The media did not mentioned what happened!

If Bullfighting is allowed in your Country check the protests dates and petitions! Manifest yourself! Everyone counts!

Spain : Come and/or spread. This Saturday the 25th a boat will protest against bullfighting by the Estuary of Bilbao with Equanimal and CAS International. Book your free place as soon as possible as they are limited by writing to Euskadi@equanimal.org.

www.equanimal.org / www.cas-international.org/es

15 of August of 2012

Unconditional Love

How come dogs love unconditionally their owners even when they are really bad to them?
No doubt they are angels on the Earth .. as someone said here on Earth to teach us how to love..
This story shows the true and pure love between dog and his owner.
When you have already experienced this story in any way you will know how painful it is to see your best
friend getting older and sick and all you can do is ease his suffer and return all the love he deserves..

" For the last 18 years, John Unger and Schoep have been constant companions. But time is taking its toll. The dog has lost his sight and now suffers from arthritis.

To relieve some of the pain and stiffness, John drives a mile from his home to take Schoep to Lake Superior. In John's arms, there's no urge to swim, only to sleep as Schoep is granted a few moments of serenity from his sore limbs.

A photo of the pair in the lake posted online went viral, and people from around the world have been moved by the image. Schoep's vet has received calls offering to pay for the dog's medication and treatment. "

At least what we all knew...

It has finally been proved that animals are consciousness.
The Declaration of Consciousness proclaimed in Cambridge proves that non-human animals including all mammals and birds, and many other creatures like octopuses, also possess these neurological substrates.Something that any animal lover always understood but that for a few skeptics it was not clear.It proves that animals feel hunger, thirsty, fear,etc.
Whenever an animal is in a cage or in a big pool he feels sad because he is not free, whenever he is in a slaughterhouse he knows he is going to be murder and he violently sees and understand what is being done to the others too, whenever an animal is being skinned alive for his fur he feels pain, whenever he is being tested in the lab he feels pain, sadness and God knows what else.
Hopefully this will turn an end to all these activities, everyone will became vegan, buy cruelty-free products and support activism towards animals freedom and wellness.True?
see full article here